Positive action circuit breaking switch



Aug. 2, 1966 B. A. GAY 3,264,438

POSITIVE ACTION CIRCUIT BREAKING SWITCH Filed April 29, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l l3 u I? I l9 m-cu flmmm.

FIG. I

INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN A. GAY

Aug. 2, 1966 B. A. GAY 3,264,438

POSITIVE ACTION CIRCUIT BREAKING SWITCH Filed April 29, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I9 H... E

FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN A. GAY

United States Patent 3,264,438 POSITIVE ACTION CIRCUIT BREAKING SWITCH Benjamin A. Gay, Phoenixville, Pa., assignor to Atlas Chemical Industries, Inc., Wilmington, Del., :1 corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 363,417 5 Claims. (Cl. 200-142) The present invention relates to electrical switches and more particularly to a heavy duty circuit breaking switch adapted to be powered by expanding gas.

The circuit breaking switch of the present invention comprises in combination a pair of conductors, a connecting bar, a spring means and a driving or propelling means. The connecting bar connects the pair of conductors, and is movable from a position of engagement with the conductors to a position of disengagement with the conductors. The spring means has an active posi tion wherein the spring means urges the connecting bar into engagement with the conductors and an inactive position wherein the spring means is maintained in a compressed position along the stem section of the connecting bar and does not urge engagement of the connecting bar and conductors. The driving or propelling means is adapted to force the connecting bar into a position of disengagement with the conductors and simultaneously forcing the spring means from an active position to .an inactive position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the connecting bar has a stem section extending therefrom and the spring means is positioned around the stem section of the connecting bar. Preferably, the stem section of the connecting bar is notched and is adapted to catch and hold said spring in a compressed position freeing the connecting bar from being urged into engagement with the conductors.

The advantages and improvements of the circuit break ing switch of the present invention will be apparent from the following illustrative description of one embodiment of the invention considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation, partly in section showing the internal arrangement of the operating elements of a preferred embodiment of the present circuit breaking switch prior to the time the switch performs a circuit breaking operation.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 except the operating elements are shown in a position after the circuit breaking operation has been accomplished. Similar elements are denoted by the same reference number in each of the drawings.

Looking now at the drawings in detail, a casing 11, which for purposes of assembly is suitably comprised of sections 13 and 15, is fabricated out of a non-conducting material such as solidified phenol resin or nylon. A pair of conductors 17 and 19 enter casing 11. The conductors are connected at a point within the confines of casing 11 by connecting bar 21. Connecting bar 21 has stern section 23 thereon which extends into hollowed portion 22 of easing section 15. A spring means which is shown comprised of spring 25 and spring 27 separated by washer 28 is positioned within hollowed portion 22 and coiled around stem section 23. The spring means urges connecting bar 21 into engagement with conductors 17 and 19. Stem section 23 has a notched portion 29 thereon and is adapted to catch and hold a coil of spring 27 in a compressed position upon downward movement of the stern section into casing section 15. A driving means such as a one-shot piston motor 33 is positioned in section 13 of the switch casing. Piston motor 33 is adapted to be activated through electrical connections 35 and 37. Connections 35 and 37 enter motor 33 through sealing plug 32 and terminate in ignition means 34. A

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piston 39 is positioned in the end opposite entering connections 35 and 37, and is maintained in gas-tight relation to the inside wall of the motor by retaining ring 36. Preferably, an explosive or gas-forming charge 38 is positioned between piston 39 and ignition means 34 and in a firing position to ignition means 34. Connecting bar 21 is in tight contact with conductors 17 and 19 and maintained in such contact by the urging of the spring means. Upon actuation of piston motor 33 the expanding gases within motor 33 force piston 39 rapidly toward connecting bar 21. Preferably a non-conducting spacer such as 41, for example, of solidified polyethylene, neoprene, nylon or rubber, is positioned between piston 39 and connecting bar 21, giving a rigid assembly of the movable parts of the present switch. The rapid movement of piston 39 toward connecting bar 21 consequently causes bar 21 to be driven out of contact with conductors 17 and 19. Preferably the spring means of the present invention has at least one coil which tightly encompasses stem section 23 at a point near surface 24 of hollowed portion 22 of casing section 15. A frustoconical spring positioned with the narrowed diameter of the spring adjacent surface 24 is particularly suited to use in the present invention.

FIGURE 2 shows the switch of FIGURE 1 in a circuit broken position. The actuation of piston motor 33 forces piston 39 rapidly toward connecting bar 21. The movement of piston 39 acting through spacer 41 in turn drives connecting bar 21 into hollowed portion 22 of casing section 15 and out of engagement with conductors 17 and 19. Hollow portion 22 is preferably sized to wedgedly receive connecting bar 21. The spring means is inactivated by the bottom coil 43 of spring 27 being caught and held in notch 29 of stem section 23.

Switches of the present invention are designed to give positive circuit breaking action regardless of the position of the switch. The present switches are particularly useful as circuit breaking switches in heavy duty circuits wherein bars of metal are utilized as conductors rather than the normal, easily shearable, wire conductor.

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit breaking switch comprising a pair of conductors,

a connecting bar connecting said pair of conductors,

said connecting bar having a notched stem section thereon,

said notched stem section positioned within the coils of a spring means,

said spring means urging said bar into a position of contact, with said pair of conductors,

a driving means positioned to force said bar against the urging of said spring means to compress said spring means, and

said notched portion on said stem section of said bar adapted to catch and hold said spring means in a compressed position freeing said bar from further urging from said spring means.

2. The circuit breaking switch of claim 1 wherein the said driving means is a piston motor.

3. The circuit breaking switch of claim 1 wherein a non-conducting spacer is positioned between said driving means and said connecting bar.

4. A circuit breaking switch comprising a casing having disposed therein, a pair of conductors, a connecting bar connecting said pair of conductors, said connecting bar having a notched stern section extending therefrom, a washer positioned around said stem in the area of said notched stem, a first frustoconical spring positioned around said notched stem between said connecting bar and said washer so that its broadest diameter end portion abuts said washer, a second frustoconical spring positioned around said notched stem between said washer and said casing so that its broadest diameter end portion abuts said Washer, and its narrowest end portion abuts said casing, a driving means for forcing said connecting bar against the said first and second springs to compress said springs whereby when first and second frustoconical springs are compressed said notched stem catches on the narrowest diameter end portion of said second frustoconical spring in holding contact.

5. The circuit breaking switch of claim 4 wherein the driving means is a piston motor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Hopkinson 200-142 West 20061.61

Kiel 200-142 X Massar et a1 200-142 Gay et a1. 200142 X BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

H. B. GILSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CIRCUIT BREAKING SWITCH COMPRISING A PAIR OF CONDUCTORS, A CONNECTING BAR CONNECTING SAID PAIR OF CONDUCTORS, SAID CONNECTING BAR HAVING A NOTCHED STEM SECTION THEREON, SAID NOTCHED STEM SECTION POSITIONED WITHIN THE COILS OF A SPRING MEANS, SAID SPRING MEANS URGING SAID BAR INTO A POSITION OF CONTACT WITH SAID PAIR OF CONDUCTORS, A DRIVING MEANS POSITIONED TO FORCE SAID BAR AGAINST THE URGING OF SAID SPRING MEANS TO COMPRESS SAID SPRING MEANS, AND SAID NOTCHED PORTION ON SAID STEM SECTION OF SAID BAR ADAPTED TO CATCH AND HOLD SAID SPRING MEANS IN A COMPRESSED POSITION FREEING SAID BAR FROM FURTHER URGING FROM SAID SPRING MEANS. 